Box-office Analysis: Small fry, good show

MUMBAI: While the drought at the box office continues, it is the smaller, low budget film released this week that offered slight relief at the turnstiles. The industry appears to be waiting for Yash Chopra’s Tara Rum Pum and Spiderman 3 to turn the tide at the box-office.

But Sagar Ballary’s Bheja Fry, released by Adlabs in many multiplexes, collected Rs 80,78,604 from 31 cinemas in Bombay alone. All over, the film registered around 60 to 65 per cent collection.

Bheja Fry’s first week collections were – Bombay Rs 80,78,604 from 31 cinemas (68 per cent), Delhi Rs 19,11,971 from 14 cinemas (62 per cent), Nagpur Rs 1,85,647 from one cinema (67 per cent), Indore Rs 4,10,100 from four cinemas (62 per cent), Jaipur Rs 1,30,198 from one cinema (58 per cent), Kolkata Rs 10,55,393 from four cinemas (62 per cent), Hyderabad Rs 11,34,308 from six cinemas (68 per cent).

Another small budget film, Panga Naa Lo, also released this week, is supposed to be a comedy, but cinematographer Ã¢â‚¬â€œturned Ã¢â‚¬â€œ director Rajen Kothari fails to impress due to a poor script. Though veteran actors Om Puri and Satish Shah deliver great performances, the film has evoked a poor response at the box-office. The film opened to 15 to 25 per cent openings in Bombay and other circuits.

< Page Break >There is nothing worth raving about in Kya Love Story Hai. Cinematographer Rajeev Srivastava has done a marvelous job of filming Cape Town. The film could have done with a few trimmings and a tighter screenplay. The opening has not been rosy and the going looks tough at the box-office. In Bombay, the film has been released by Rajiv Malhotra who was instrumental in releasing Big Brother, Shaka Laka Boom Boom, Provoked, Namastey London and Black Friday. The film has registered between 30 to 40 per cent collections on the opening day in Bombay and other circuits.

Though director S Soni tried to put in his best effort, he has not been able to steer Aur Pappu Pass Ho Gaya into a success at the box-office.

Hollywood film My Bollywood Bride, shot mostly in Mumbai, finally hit the screen, after it had been lying in the cans for over two years.

Other Hollywood films like the animated TMNT, Mr Beans Holiday, The Reaping, The Good German and Meet The Robinsons also opened this week.

Ghatak, the dubbed version of Tamil hit Arassaschi, starring Arjun and Lara Dutta was also released. An action film, it may find a few takers in the coming days.

Bhojpuri film Jaisi Karni Waisi Bharni is a rape and revenge story, but has turned out to be a non-starter at the box-office.

Big Brother’s first week collections were – Bombay Rs 32,00,000 from 25 cinemas (44 per cent), Ahmedabad Rs 20,54,580 from 19 cinemas (58 per cent), Delhi Rs 16,60,428 from four cinemas (54 per cent), Allahabad Rs 69,000 from one cinema (52 per cent), Kanpur Rs 3,27,563 from one cinema (42 per cent), Nagpur Rs 3,53,941 from three cinemas (62 per cent), Raipur Rs 1,40,254 from one cinema (49 per cent), Jaipur Rs 8,49,777 from three cinemas (56 per cent), Bikaner Rs 1,63,702 from one cinema (59 per cent), Kolkata Rs 4,89,990 from five cinemas (57 per cent), Hyderabad Rs 15,13,717 from eight cinemas (64 per cent), Chennai Rs 3,43,661 from two cinemas (63 per cent).

Bheja Fry’s first week collections were – Bombay Rs 80,78,604 from 31 cinemas (68 per cent), Delhi Rs 19,11,971 from 14 cinemas (62 per cent), Nagpur Rs 1,85,647 from one cinema (67 per cent), Indore Rs 4,10,100 from four cinemas (62 per cent), Jaipur Rs 1,30,198 from one cinema (58 per cent), Kolkata Rs 10,55,393 from four cinemas (62 per cent), Hyderabad Rs 11,34,308 from six cinemas (68 per cent).